Because I Still Love You
by CROCODlLE
Summary: Mystique and Magneto visit Destiny, a mutant who has visions of the future, to get information on a vaccine that cures mutants. Destiny then reveals to Mystique her future with Magneto and whether they will ever have one together.


AUTHOR'S NOTE

Years since I made my "Colossus' Story", I got inspiration after reading Destiny's Wikipedia entry with how the creators had originally intended Mystique's and Destiny's relationship in relation to Nightcrawler. The time takes place between X2 and X3, but I felt everything here tied a few strings together. I also wanted to jump on this before anyone else did, similar to how I grabbed Colossus' character before other authors came up with their own interpretations.

You would still need to check the video game for an explanation of Nightrawler's whereabouts.

I'm not good at love scenes, and frankly, this FanFic came out as being more informative than action-packed like my previous one. Still, I felt it gave Mystique more character, and it was an appropriate introduction to a mutant we might never see in the movies, or a situation that is too blatant and controversial for some.

Please enjoy and review rutheslessly, and it has literally been years since my last FanFic!

END AUTHOR'S NOTE

A garden spread out into the countryside of California, with the distant mountains blaring in the sunlight. Sunflowers and roses, tulips, and various trees decorated the back of the mansion. On the porch, an old woman laid back, her white sundress brightly reflecting the sun's rays, and her black sunglasses reflecting the sun itself, as if she could look into it. Her head tilted back, she basks on the cobblestone porch of her mansion, as serene and peaceful as the portrait that lies before her.

She, however, sees something different.

As Irene Adler lay, the warmth of the sun was all she could truly sense. What she saw was what no one on the planet could see. For years, she had been different. And had it not been for her own wit and good fortune, she would have been connected with the term that became popular during a time when more like herself were being discovered: mutant.

And like most mutants, Irene's talent was just as unique. She was used to her powers. With so many years of training, she'd mastered her talent and gift like a stuntman learns to avoid death. Though death wasn't too far for her, at this juncture.

Or for others.

Suddenly, Irene stirred from her trance. She heard someone with faint footsteps from around the porch bend. She didn't recognize the steps. Who was visiting her? It wasn't any helper she knew, nor did she schedule anything with any of her few, but influential friends.

Irene strained a little to listen. Her ears could practically hear a pin drop on a pillow. But then, the blind's senses are always astute, always compensating for a lack of sight with increased dependence on the lesser-used senses. Underneath her black sunglasses, her iris was almost whited out, pupils barely a few shades different than the rest of the eye. Still, old age can catch up to even the most practiced, and her ears weren't what they used to be, but were still well above a regular persons' limits.

"Good afternoon, Seniora Adler, I came to check on you. Would you like me to bring some shade from your room?" Irene smiled. She heard the voice of her maid, Consuelo, with her slight Hispanic accent. So convincing, thought Irene.

"Oh? Consuelo? You startled me."

"Sorry, Seniora. I'll try to be more careful," replied the maid. Consuelo walked onto the porch and stopped next to Irene's lawn chair, smiling the whole way.

"That's ok, Consuelo. I don't need to see the future to know that my maids never come visit me on their days off."

Consuelo let out a laugh, overly girly for a frumpy, middle-aged women. But Irene had guessed correctly. She could hear the shifting mass, and the slippery sound of skin changing color and texture. While she couldn't see it, she knew Consuelo was changing. She started to shrink, becoming thin, and her entire body changed to a dark, near-black blue. She grew taller, her hair shrinking down to a deep red, and where Consuelo once stood was filled with a menacing, but beautiful woman. Scaled a little like a lizard, but still human enough to create lust in any regular man, the woman gave Irene a jester's grin, enjoying the fact that she'd been caught in her little trick.

"I could never get one past you," said the woman.

"Mystique, you depend on people's sight to slip by unnoticed. I can recognize the footsteps of my own maid, the way her body shifts, how she carries herself, sometimes even the way she breathes. She would never be so stealthy as to walk up on me…much less come visit me on her day off."

Mystique let out a laugh, and then went down to embrace her old friend. "It's good to see you Irene," she said. "You should have stayed with the team. I'd die being caged up in a house like yours."

Irene looked up to where she sensed she was. "Oh, it's not so bad. More peaceful than having to run around, always avoiding detection and having my identity revealed to the authorities. Especially during the incident a few months ago. I believe that's why you've come."

Mystique grew serious at the mention of the Alkali Lake incident. She said, "Yes. Stryker's son took out a few of our own. We barely managed to survive. Once I had the chance, I decided to come see if you'd been alright."

Irene sighed. "I'd had a vision the minute I heard of the assassination-attempt on President McKenna. The lines of fate started to roll, and I knew it would end in bloodshed." Irene changed her position, keeping track of Mystique as she was pacing, listening to her speak. "I stayed home that entire week, waiting for what I thought might be my death. I was able to brace myself when I sensed Xavier's mind covering everything." Mystique stopped moving. Irene finished. "I was not one of the few, but I came very close Mystique."

"But you're ok now," Mystique continued, uncomfortable with the idea of Irene's near death, "and Stryker was defeated. We beat him."

"Not before Magneto almost killed my servants," Irene interjected, "along with every other human on this planet."

"They tried to slaughter us, Irene! How can you defend them now, after all they've put us through?"

"How can you be so cold-hearted and blind? Following Magneto, you almost became the killer of billions!"

"Oh, killer of nothing! Barely a few scraps of humans. "

"Then you ask me why I left the Brotherhood. What form of fighting for equality is it when – "

"Irene, please, let's not start this again – "

"You put innocent children in danger, some who probably hadn't known if they were mutants or not, but indiscriminately treated as humans regardless if they were mutants whose powers still hadn't manifested!" Mystique flinched at that. She knew Irene would bring the subject up.

"Oh, Destiny, you always were as boneless as an old woman." Irene sat up, and rested her feet on the porch. She frowned at the arrival of a new voice, a man's, old, but strong and sinisterly charming. A smile slowly grew on her face, trying to avoid satisfying her old superiors' triumph in knowing he'd snuck up on her too.

"Magneto," she replied, "you always were rather rude, but then again, the only thing you could ever successfully break and enter to was a helpless old ladies' home."

"Ah, Destiny, it seems you weren't able to predict on how your many years have not aged you gracefully. But then, you wouldn't be able to see that either, would you?"

"Rot in hell, Eric."

"Irene, " Mystique interrupted, wanting to avoid the confrontation from growing further, "Magneto and I were in need of some information. I was wondering if you would help us?"

"The geezer is actually giving me a choice?"

"Or you could walk out on your kind, you were always good at that, " Magneto shot back.

"Eric, please." Mystique pleaded.

"Our progress had gone so far, Mystique. Then Destiny wanted out. She didn't have the backbone to stand up to those less powerful than her."

"I made my choice, Eric." Irene responded. "I, Destiny, can see into the future. I can see how to change or manipulate outcomes. The future remains dark for all mutant and humankind, regardless of our efforts. Regardless of those you eliminate standing in your way. I didn't want to dirty my hands anymore than necessary."

"Because of you, Destiny!" Magneto accused. "Your family needed you, and you abandoned the Brotherhood to live amongst mere Homo sapiens!"

"Enough!" Mystique cried. Magneto stared at Mystique, shocked and a little furious at her interruption. She quickly looked away. "I'm sorry. But we're not here to argue over frivolous allegiances."

Magneto took a look at Destiny, still sitting. She had a slight, triumphant smile on her face, but kept it barely noticeable. She then stood up, her arms spread in front of her, reaching for the white railing on her porch. She grabbed a hold of it, and let the sunrays rain down on her. The scene was odd. A blue woman, a man in a large, red coat and cape, and Irene, a blind old woman, staring out toward a landscape she couldn't see.

"What do you want to know, Raven?"

Mystique ignored Irene's insult. She knew how much she hated being called by the name her parents gave her. But she knew a new mission would start, and any information would be vital.

"I was able to break into the Worthington Labs mainframe and find information on something the government was doing in conjunction with them."

"Warren Worthington?" Irene asked. "The rich father of the mutant boy?"

"Exactly. We found information on a vaccine. An anti-mutant vaccine. According to them, one which can suppress the mutant gene, making any mutant absolutely normal."

"Yes. My premonitions on it started to grow recently."

"So you do know about it?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how they got it?"

"No."

Mystique sighed, disappointed. Magneto looked over to Irene and asked, "Do you know if they'll succeed in making it?"

Irene smiled and turned around to accurately stare him down through her black eyeglasses. "Are you afraid, Eric?"

"Yes or no, Destiny, I haven't got the whole damn afternoon."

Destiny started at him at a little longer, then turned back toward the sun. "Yes. They will call it a cure for mutation."

Magneto's face grew stern. "A cure indeed."

"Hey." All three of them turned toward the porch door. A young man, barely 17, stood in the frame. Irene could hear his youthful voice, rebellious, happy to be released from responsibility. "Sorry, Magneto, but I just got word that the FDA is starting to look through the drug's approval. They might have the information on how that vaccine was made."

Magneto nodded. "Thank you Pyro. I'll be out momentarily." Pyro nodded back, took a quick look at Irene, and left.

"Now you've recruited children to help you, Eric?" Irene prodded.

"You, my dear lady, are the last one I should explain myself to. He's a young man, with the gift of manipulating flames to his desire. I assure you, he is no child." Magneto turned to leave.

"They'll use it against you, Eric." Magneto turned at Destiny, a severe look on his face. "I don't need your powers to tell me that Destiny. I'm fully aware that they're not so dim as to not think about using a vaccine against me."

"Yes, but you would need me to know that they'll succeed."

"What!"

"That vaccine is larger than you anticipate, Magneto. Your great war will arrive soon, and that vaccine will be the center of it. You will lose."

"How dare you suggest such a thing!"

Mystique took Irene's arm. "Destiny…Irene…please, if there is any way of stopping it…"

Irene sighed. She wasn't sure if she should tell them everything…but did it matter? She was safe in her mansion. And Mystique's touch always had that persuasion she could hardly resist. How she missed it…

"There is something. I was still recovering from the shock after Cerebro's wave hit, but I felt someone. Someone crying out from ashes. She will determine what path will be set."

"She?" asked Magneto. "Who is she? Who are you talking about? Tell me!"

"Xavier's first pupil."

"Jean? Jean Grey?"

"But she's dead." Mystique added. "We found out about it barely a day after she saved Xavier's X-Men."

"Hardly," Irene continued. "And Magneto knows why."

Mystique turned to her superior. "What's she talking about?"

Magneto looked at Mystique. He doubted Destiny would know so much about Jean. But to already know so much made him realize that she was serious. "Jean Grey, my dear, has not been what she has appeared to be during our encounters. Xavier and I approached her when she was just a small girl. But that was all that was small about her. She's a very powerful psychic mutant, capable of unimaginable use of her powers. Xavier set blocks on her years ago. It was Charles's way of letting her grow. I always felt it set her back. Before I left the school, I'd let Charles know that one day she'd unrestrain herself. It appears her drowning may not be permanent, and her exertions have released her blocks."

"She'll return," Destiny added. "She alone will end up determining where this war goes. Or destroying everyone along the way."

"Then, I suppose, we'll have to find her along OUR way as well." Magneto turned to leave again. "Mystique, I'll wait for you out front. Thank you Destiny. Your help is appreciated."

Destiny ignored him. Mystique looked at her, grateful. "I'm sorry, Eric's been frantic ever since he found out about this vaccine."

"I don't see what you see in him."

"He shares my goals. Once we receive mutant liberation, we'll be free from their scorn."

"I'm rather surprised. Usually he's too jealous to even leave you with me briefly."

"Irene…I know we don't see eye-to-eye on this. When you left, I had to stay. This is so much bigger than both of us."

Irene walked along the porch down into the garden. "Yes. That's something I've had to resign myself to. Along with you going to him."

"Look, I – "

" I can't believe you put me in a situation where I had to speak with him again. You're as selfish as he is."

"I have news of our son," Mystique said suddenly.

Irene's blind eyes widened. "You lie."

"No, Irene. I don't."

Irene turned back toward her, trying to avoid falling using her walking stick. "Oh god. Mystique where…how?"

"He's been with Xavier's X-Men."

"Then he's safe! He's alive! Oh Mystique!" Irene dropped her stick and embraced her. She held tight, trying to stifle her tears. "I knew it! I heard the description on the news and I knew it was my son!" Irene let her go suddenly.

"Does Eric know?"

"No. It was so hard to see him so grown up. I was unsure, but knew I couldn't be wrong. Stryker had been the one that found him. He had brainwashed him too."

"That horrible, treacherous human!"

"It's ok. Eric made sure he'd drown for what he'd done. But I didn't tell him."

"Don't! Eric would be furious if he knew one of your children was working as his enemy!"

"He isn't. He left the X-Men behind. He returned home to Europe."

"Then he's safe. When I saw him disappear from my vision, I was terrified at what it meant. Now I know he won't be killed in the coming battle. Take me inside, Mystique."

Mystique helped Irene into her living room. She talked on the way in, telling her everything that she was able to learn while they had worked together with the X-Men. Irene could barely contain herself at the news she had waited so long to hear. A son they had to abandon, lest both of them be discovered to be mutants, or in those days, demons.

"I can't believe it. A circus performer for humans. Such a disgrace!"

"He's safe, Irene. That's what matters. And he's happy."

"I'll use my resources to find him. I have to meet him!"

"No! Irene, he can't know about us. We'll be criminals in his eyes."

"Oh, Mystique, you act like I'm blind beyond my eyes! You're ashamed to tell him the truth!"

"He doesn't need to know!"

"So what if he does then?"

"I'm not having this discussion with you! We wanted a child, I changed to ensure we had one, and we lost him! To them! He's grown up alone, Irene! Don't you think he's suffered enough?"

"He's a mutant like you, Mystique, with your skin! He hasn't suffered any less than you!"

"He will if he knows about us, Irene!"

"All my life, I've had to constantly be ashamed. Ashamed of being a mutant, ashamed of betraying my kind, and now, you want me to be ashamed of the fact that my son has two mothers? You, Mystique, of all people?"

Mystique looked at her for a second, and then got up, ready to leave. "I'm just as relieved as you are. If you want to go see him, go. I'm not taking part in it."

As Mystique turned her back, Irene called to her. "Eric will betray you."

"What?"

"You heard me. I've always told you the man is ruthless. He'd even sacrifice the ones he cares about to reach his goal. He won't protect you when that vaccine is made. Maybe you'll be more willing to meet your son then when you're just as helpless as the people you fight."

"I can't believe you! You expect me to believe that about Eric! After all we've been through together."

"You came to me, remember?"

Mystique stared coldly at the mutant known as Destiny. Her silence was revealed that she was thinking about what Destiny was saying. "And you always talk about how jealous Eric is. I thought you were telling me this because you wanted to return, perhaps even rejoin the Brotherhood again, perhaps wanting to be with me. Now I see you using this to hurt me."

"Mystique, please, you must listen to me."

"No!" Mystique left the living room. "Thanks for your help Destiny. Goodbye."

Irene got up, walking slowly toward the door. She could hear Mystique leave, getting inside the car as Magneto said something to her. They drove off. Irene felt helpless. So much to take in. Seeing Mystique, dealing with Magneto, the news of her son.

Oh God, her son. Kurt Wagner, is what Mystique said the old gypsies had named him. Destiny got to her phone quick. She would make the necessary calls; make travel arrangements to find Kurt in Germany. Even if it were the last thing she did, she would find her son.

She looked toward the door, the echo of what created her child getting farther away, but still opening an old wound.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you. I helped you because I still love you."


End file.
